GS - 4 for UPSC IAS 2024

General Studies-IV:This paper will include questions to test the candidates attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:

1) Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

2) Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

3) Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.

4) Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

5) Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

6) Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.

7) Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen's Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

8) Case Studies on above issues.

Comments

Kula, Potlatch and Moka system

Differences between Kula, Potlatch and Moka system of Exchange Distribution, gift giving and exchanging constitute a big issue for archaic societies. In the Western world the natural monetary economy is based on the principle of achieving a material profit during every transaction. That does not mean, however, that it is applicable in all cultures that in an exchange trade both sides must obtain the same economic benefit. In the 1950’s the economic historian Karl Polanyi developed a system for classifying the different modes of the distribution of commodities. He identified three different types: reciprocity, redistribution and trade exchange . Both redistribution and the existence of market are subject to the activities of the central power organisations and therefore these categories are typical of those societies with advanced power and economic hierarchies. More interesting for us therefore will be the reciprocal relationships in archaic societies. Reciproci...

Recent development of Homo Habilis

Homo Habilis (Handi Man) Recent Development of Homo Habilis: While scientists used to think that H. Habilis was the ancestor of Homo Erectus, recent discoveries in 2000 of relatively late 1.44 million years old Homo Habilis and a relatively early 1.55 million years old H. Erectus from the same area of northern Kenya (Lake Turkana) challenged the conventional view that these species evolved one after the other. Instead, this evidence - along with other fossils - demonstrate that they coexisted in eastern Africa for almost a half million years. Structure: Homo Habilis, which means "handi man" is an extinct species of hominid that lived approximately 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago during the early Pleistocene epoch. Fossils of Homo Habilis was first discovered by L. S. B. Leaky in 1964. Homo Habilis is considered as the important transitional species in human evolution, as it represents a significant step in development of the Homo genus and the emergence of traits ...

Modern Indian History for UPSC IAS 2024

Class - 1 Sources for the history of Modern India: Introduction The records of the East India Company provide a detailed account of trading conditions during the period 1600-1857. When the British crown took over the administration, it also kept a large variety and volume of official records . These records help historians to trace every important development stage-by-stage and follow the processes of decision - making and the psychology of the policy-makers . The records of the other European East India companies (the Portuguese, Dutch and French) are also useful for constructing the history of the 17th and 18th centuries. Archival Materials 1. Central Government Archives The National Archives of India , located in New Delhi, contains most of the archives of the Government of India. These provide authentic and reliable source materials on varied aspects of modern Indian history. The records with the National Archives come under vari...

Self Preparation for UPSC IAS

Search This Blog